State department muted reporter's phone asking about Bolton's book during press call on Chinese censorship of the press

Last week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attacked former national security adviser John Bolton for his new tell-all book coming out Tuesday. But when reporters had questions for a lower-level official, they were shut out of a press conference phone call.

Assistant Secretary David Stilwell was conducting a briefing on Chinese propaganda and press censorship when he was asked by a reporter whether United States allies in Asia had reached out to officials about concerns over Bolton's book.

"Earlier today South Korea, a country in Stilwell's region, did put out a statement on Bolton's book," said CBS News reporter Kylie Atwood.

Instead of answering the question, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department censored the reporter, asking AT&T to "mute the line" of that reporter.

NBC News reporter Josh Lederman noted that last week Pompeo accused Bolton of "treason" for the book.